Phoenix Rising
by magicforever39
Summary: Anastasia Potter didn't end up growing up with the Dursleys like Dumbledore wanted her to. Instead she grew up with her cousin Dick Grayson in the Flying Graysons and then later with Bruce Wayne. By the time she gets to Hogwarts, Anastasia is a member of a team of young superheroes and the complete opposite of what Dumbledore expected. Eventual Anastasia/Jason Todd.
1. The Girl Who Lived

**I've gone through and edited this chapter since when I read through it recently I found a couple typos and awkward wording that were bugging me. Also in going through my notes for this I realized I had two different names down for my fem!Harry, one being Aurora and the other was Anastasia. I decided that Anastasia fit better since it means "she will rise again" so I made an executive decision to change it.**

 **This story will have Jason Todd/Anastasia Potter and Dramione as well as a manipulative Dumbledore and an overbearing Molly Weasley who may lean to the more manipulative side but I haven't figure out the specifics yet. Same thing with Ron, he isn't going to be as close to Anastasia as he is to Harry in canon and certainly won't be happy about her close friendship with Draco, who will be anti everything his father stands for, but I again am unsure how he will come out on the page. He probably will be attention seeking though.**

 **Chapter 1: The Girl Who Lived**

Albus Dumbledore apparated onto Privet Drive. He searched for something in his purple cloak until he realized that he was being watched. Looking up, he saw a tabby cat staring at him from the other end of the street. "I should have known," he muttered, slightly put out.

He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. He clicked what looked like a silver cigarette lighter until all the street lamps were in darkness. If anyone were to look out their windows they wouldn't be able to see anything happening in the street. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four. There he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a minute he spoke to it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.

"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.

"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars…. Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something."

"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."

"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads over a rumor. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."

She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really _has_ gone, Dumbledore?"

"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"A _what_?"

"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."

"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly. She didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who _has_ gone-"

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: _Voldemort_. It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding slightly exasperated.

She shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the _rumors_ that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"

Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat not as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it she was given confirmation. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

"What they're _saying_ ," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – _dead_."

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' daughter, Anastasia. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Anastasia Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded glumly.

"It's – it's _true_?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Anastasia survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore's vagueness would often make her wonder what he was holding back. Dumbledore put his watch back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why_ you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Anastasia to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family she has left now."

"You don't mean – you _can't_ mean the people who live _here_?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Anastasia Potter come and live here! And they aren't her only family! Lily has another sister."

"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "It's stable and her aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to her when she's older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand her! She'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Anastasia Potter Day in the future there will be books written about Anastasia – every child in our world will know her name!"

"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any girl's head. Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it?"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes – yes, you're right, of course," which was in complete contrast to how she actually felt. "But how is Anastasia getting here, Dumbledore?"

"Hagrid's bringing her."

"You think it – _wise_ – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not carless. He does tend to – what was that?"

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so _wild_ – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relived. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got her, sire."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir – she fell asleep on the flight down."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over her forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where - ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. Well – give her here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Anastasia in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.

Professor McGonagall gingerly patted a sobbing Hagrid on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Anastasia gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Anastasia's blankets, and then came back to the other two, to the fury of Professor McGonagall. He could knock on the door and actually hand Anastasia to her aunt or at the least put some warming and protective charms around her.

For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes was faint but still there.

"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck, Anastasia," he murmured. "You'll need it." He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

A tabby cat slipped back down Privet Drive to number four. Professor McGonagall curled up next to the infant Anastasia to keep her warm and safe through the night. She wasn't sure how she was going to do it, yet, but she was going to make it so her goddaughter would grow up with Lily's sister Mary, not Petunia.

Anastasia Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on, not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor everything that she'd end up going through… She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Anastasia Potter – the girl who lived!"


	2. Arriving at Haly's Circus

**Edited to change Aurora to Anastasia for reasons given in the previous chapter.**

 **Chapter 2 Arriving at Haly's Circus**

Petunia Dursley settled her son into his highchair with his breakfast. She headed to the front door to pick up the milk that had been delivered that morning. She screamed in shock when she saw a bundle of blankets on her front step.

Heart pounding, Petunia bent down to pick up the whimpering baby girl, not noticing the tabby cat that was watching her from the flower bed. She recognized the infant as her niece Anastasia from the picture that came with Lily's last Christmas card. Gently rocking Anastasia to calm her down, she opened the letter that was tucked in the blankets with trepidation. She closed her eyes tightly when she read that her baby sister had been killed. Opening her eyes, Petunia came to a decision.

"I'll keep you safe from Vernon and the idiot who left you here," Petunia murmured.

McGonagall saw the fierce look of determination in Petunia's eyes. She knew that Anastasia would be safe for the next few days while she searched for her other aunt. Minerva silently promised Anastasia that she'll see her again soon and slipped away.

Not knowing that she had gained a witch's approval, Petunia went inside with her niece and the milk. Her husband was in the kitchen drinking his last cup of tea before going to work.

"What's going on?" Vernon asked.

"My sister Lily and her husband were killed at some point in the last couple days and her daughter was left on our doorstep last night with a letter asking us to take her in."

"The freak or the one who married the gypsy freak?"

"The Potters," Petunia said wiping Dudley's face with her free hand.

"A bunch of weirdos in cloaks were whispering about them in the streets yesterday," Vernon said. "Good riddance I say. It would be better if they didn't drop the little freak off with us. Ruining our good image and interrupting our normal lives. What will the neighbors say?"

Petunia saw the dangerous look in his eyes when he looked at the bundle in her arms. She decided this was the perfect opportunity to bring up her idea. "Vernon I have an idea. My sister Marigold is in London for the next few days. I can take the girl to her and she can take her in. we can get on with our normal lives the neighbors would never learn of our connection to her people. She can fit in Dudley's old car seat. I can head into London this morning before the neighbors know what happened."

"Do it," Vernon said standing up and putting his cup in the sink. "We don't need the little freak associating with our perfect Dudley. I've got to go now. See you later."

He kissed his wife, dodged his son's temper tantrum, glared at the infant Anastasia and left for work.

After eating breakfast and cleaning up, Petunia strapped the two children into her car. Dealing with the morning rush hour traffic was a nightmare within a nightmare since Dudley was fussy almost the whole time. She pulled up in the parking lot outside what most of the time was an empty lot. Though today, and for the next few days, it was full of brightly colored tents and stands.

Petunia walked up to the entrance, Dudley in his car seat in one hand, Anastasia in her other arm.

"Can I help you?" asked the man setting up the ticket office.

"I'm here to see my sister, Mary Grayson," Petunia said. "It's about a family matter."

"Sure thing. Trailers are at the far end. Second and third trailers in belong to the Graysons."

Petunia thanked him and made her way through the almost completely set up circus. At the trailers she saw a young boy and another who looked to be just out of the toddler stage doing flips under the watchful eyes of five adults.

"Who's that?" Karla asked her sister-in-law.

Mary looked at the approaching woman. "Petunia?" she said surprised that she recognized her.

"It's been a while, Mary," Petunia said. She set a now sleeping Dudley and his car seat on the ground.

"Too long," Mary said smiling. "What brings you here?"

Petunia shifted uncomfortably, adjusting her hold on Anastasia who was contently sucking her thumb. "It's about Lily. She and James were killed yesterday or the day before. I'm honestly not sure since some facts don't add up."

Mary let out a shuddering gasp, her hands flying up to her mouth. Her husband John pulled her into his arms as she started sobbing, his own eyes wet. He'd met the young couple a few times and liked them. Karla and Rick brought their son, John, and Mary's son, Dick, over to them to give Mary some space.

"Anastasia, what about Anastasia?" Mary asked after a couple minutes.

"She's alive," Petunia assured her sister. "I have her right here."

Mary smiled sadly at the sight of the green eyed infant. "Why is she with you? You and Lily haven't spoken for years."

"I don't know," Petunia admitted. "It's one of the things that don't make sense about this whole thing."

"What do you mean?" John asked rubbing his wife's arm gently.

"My husband Vernon said that he'd heard some people talking about the Potters when he went to lunch yesterday," Petunia explained. "But it was this morning when I went to get the milk in that I found Anastasia on my doorstep with a letter."

"I'm sorry English isn't my first language," John said. "Did you say you found her on your doorstep in November?"

"I did," Petunia sighed. All the adults listening were outraged at that. Who in their right minds would leave an infant on someone's doorstep in November or any time of the year? "This is the letter that was left with her."

Mary took the letter from her sister and read it out loud. "Dear Mrs. Petunia Dursley. I'm sorry to inform you that your sister Lily Potter nee Evans and her husband James Potter were murdered last night by Lord Voldemort. Their daughter, Anastasia Lily Potter, survived and I leave her in your care. She must be raised by a blood relative in order to be protected from any Death Eaters who wish to avenge the defeat of their leader Lord Voldemort. Your niece's birthday is the 31st of July, 1999. Sincerely, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards."

Mary's family and Haly, who was practically family anyway, grumbled at the contents of the letter. It wasn't enough to justify this Dumbledore's actions. not by a long shot. There was far too much information missing.

"Vernon hates anything abnormal," Petunia admitted. "I don't want Anastasia growing up around that. I was wondering if you could take her in."

"Can I hold her?" Mary asked. Petunia gently transferred Anastasia to Mary's arms. "John?"

Her husband smiled at her. "Let's see how Dick feels about the idea." He knelt down. "Dick, come here buddy." His three, almost four, year old son ran over. How time flew. It seemed like only yesterday he was as small as Anastasia.

John picked his son up and settled him on his hip. "Dick would you like your cousin to live with us?" He moved so Dick could see Anastasia.

Blue eyes met green. After a couple minutes Anastasia giggled making Dick grin. "I wan a likkle sis!" he said making his aunt and parents laugh at how he said it.

"Well it looks like you're staying with us," Mary said to Anastasia who was beginning to fall asleep.

The day before the circus was set to leave London the Graysons had another visitor, this time in the form of Minerva McGonagall. Jack Haly escorted the tartan dress wearing professor to where Mary and John were watching Dick play with Anastasia on a blanket.

"Are you Mary Grayson, sister of Lily Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes," Mary said and introductions were made.

"I-" McGonagall was interrupted by a tug on her skirt.

"Minnie!" Anastasia said happily, arms up to be picked up.

McGonagall chuckled and fulfilled the infant's request. "well I was going to see if you'd be willing to take Anastasia in but I see Petunia took care of that already."

"Why didn't you keep Anastasia from being left on Petunia's doorstep?" Mary asked.

"Because Albus Dumbledore is an infuriating old man and it's easier to not argue and take care of things later myself. I stayed with her through the night to keep her safe and warm. I would have liked to take her in but I'm busy with my job at Hogwarts and only a few people know that I'm Anastasia's godmother. I'd like to keep Albus in the dark about that for as long as possible."

"You'll keep in touch with her, right?" Mary asked accepting the professor's explanation and was glad that someone was looking out for her niece.

"Of course," McGonagall said. "I might not be able to visit very often but I'll certainly write." She looked down at Anastasia. "I'd love to stay and chat but I have to get more ink and return to Hogwarts and the mountain of essays I have to grade before Albus wonders what is taking me so long."

"Well it was nice to meet you," Mary said.

"Likewise," McGonagall said. She said her goodbyes, set Anastasia down with her cousin, and left.


	3. Independence Day

**So sorry about the long wait. College and work made it so that I was pretty busy and when they weren't happening I either just wanted to relax and mindlessly watch TV shows or I got inspired to work on other stories. Good news it's the summer so I should have more time to write in between figuring out what I'm going to do now that I've finished college, vacation to see family and helping my parents out around the house.**

 **I recently went back through the previous two chapters since when I read them I noticed some grammar and spelling mistakes. So I fixed those that I knew of and I made a major change. It doesn't require rereading since it wasn't plot related. I changed Aurora's name to Anastasia. I was looking through my notes and some had one name some had the other. I almost didn't change it since I didn't like the idea of changing a characters name after the story was started. However, when I remembered what Anastasia meant, "she will rise again" I realized it fit with her personality and plot line especially since phoenixes are reborn as well. It helped also that I was only two chapters in and she didn't play a major role in either of those chapters. Plus a bit more of a personal preference when it comes to nicknames and movie references, Anastasia has more workable nicknames and I honestly prefer** ** _Anastasia_** **over** ** _Sleeping Beauty._** **I enjoy both but character wise Princess Aurora doesn't do much unlike Anastasia who is quite capable of kicking ass and speaking her mind.**

 **Just a point of housekeeping really, when the heroes are in costume I'll refer to them by codename and then when they're in civvies, or in the Bats' case dark glasses, I'll use their names. Just an example when Bruce has the cowl on he'll be referred to as Batman in the exposition and no cowl is Bruce.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Independence Day**

Anastasia bounced down the stairs to the Batcave. Today was the day she, Dick, and their fellow partners took the first step in becoming full members of the Justice League.

"You ready?" Dick asked.

"Absolutely." Her grin matched that of her brother. Technically they may be cousins, but ever since their family did they were a lot closer and saw themselves as siblings.

"You're not going anywhere until you've suited up," Bruce said. "We've got to stop Mr. Freeze before going to the Hall. He's attacking citizens in the park."

Anastasia darted to the changing area and pulled on her uniform, transforming into Sparrow. She came out as she fastened her black cape around her shoulders.

"Let's go," Batman said, pulling his cowl on.

At the park, they were greeted by the sight of several ice sculptures and fleeing civilians who'd been enjoying one of Gotham's rare sunny days. Sparrow threw a birdarang to knock Freeze's gun away from the family he was targeting.

"Batman," Mr. Freeze said, turning in her direction. "I was wondering when-" He looked around, not seeing anybody.

Robin jumped onto Freeze's shoulders and bringing him to the ground. He threw a couple birdarangs at the villain's helmet.

Freeze stood up, several cracks in his helmet. "Oh, Boy Wonder. The Bat sent you and Girl Wonder to drag me off to prison? Frankly I'm underwhelmed."

"Great, but we're kind of in a hurry here," Robin said as Sparrow dropped down next to him.

"Kids, always in such a rush."

"He's not talking to you," Sparrow said, just as annoyed as her brother.

Freeze turned around just in time for Batman to appear and knock him out. The three bats turned the unconscious ice villain over to the police and then made their way to Washington D.C.

They met up with Green Arrow, Speedy, Aquaman, and Aqualad in a clearing looking over the Hall of Justice.

"Today's the day," Batman said. He rested a hand on both Robin and Sparrow's shoulders with a small smile for his two young protégés.

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice," Green Arrow said.

"Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman finished.

Sparrow was wondering if the two of them had rehearsed those lines with how smooth the transition was when there was the telltale sound of arriving speedsters.

"Oh man," Kid Flash said. "I knew we'd be the last ones here."

Flash looked at him in amusement.

The whole group walked past the crowd of excited tourists. Some of them called out when they saw their favorite heroes. Some even argued whose sidekick Speedy was, since by name it would seem and make more sense for him to be Flash's not Green Arrow's.

"I'm glad we're all here," Aqualad said.

"Have all five sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash wondered.

" _Don't_ call us sidekicks," Speedy corrected. "Not after today."

Sparrow was a little thrown by the vehemence in his voice. Then she remembered this trip meant they were almost Leaguers and therefore was a promotion of sorts.

"Sorry," Kid Flash said. "First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anybody ever just whelmed?" Robin wondered.

"Maybe because-" Sparrow's train of thought was derailed as the doors opened to reveal the seven massive statues of the founders of the Justice League.

"Oh, maybe that's why," Sparrow and Robin said.

Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado came out of the 'Authorized Personnel Only' doors. Manhunter welcomed all five of them and led them inside. Sparrow couldn't stop smiling and she saw Robin and Kid Flash bump fists.

"You now have access unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley and, of course, our library," Manhunter said.

Sparrow's eyes lit up at the mention of the library. In fact, while Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad sat down, she poked around the bookcases. She ignored the computer identifying the Leaguers, but was pulled away from trying to find something that wasn't in Batman's library by Speedy's angry voice.

"That's it?" Speedy asked. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

"It's a first step," Aquaman said. "You've been granted access few others get." He shot Sparrow a look she mostly shrugged off.

Many of the Leaguers were unhappy about her even being in the hero business let alone taking this first step. In their eyes, she was far too young, which was admittedly true given she didn't turn eleven until the end of the month. However, they had zero say in it and didn't know or understand why Batman allowed her to don the cape and go into the field.

"Oh really?" Speedy snapped. He gestured upwards at the viewing gallery. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on."

"Roy, you just need to be patient." Green Arrow tried to calm his protégé.

"What I need is respect." Speedy turned his backs to the adults and addressed Sparrow and the others. "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like sidekicks. We deserve better than this." He was surprised when he didn't get the reaction he expected. "You're kidding, right? You're playing their game? Why? Today was supposed to be the day. Step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League."

"Well, sure," Kid Flash said. "But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ."

Sparrow made sure she feigned surprise when Speedy explained about the Watchtower. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Robin doing the same. They'd both been to the Watchtower several times now. Admittedly, they probably wouldn't had known about it if it hadn't been for the incident that convinced Batman to allow Sparrow in the field despite being only seven at the time.

She had to bite back a snicker at the glare Batman was giving Green Arrow. He was seriously unimpressed by the archer's reasoning for telling Speedy about the top-secret HQ. it also was preventing the archer from trying to use the excuse that Batman had told his partners the secret. Which wasn't strictly true. He'd only told Robin and Sparrow after they had asked where they were.

"You're not helping your cause here, son," Aquaman said. "Stand down or-"

"Or what? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son. I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner, but not anymore."

Everyone stared as Speedy threw his Robin Hood style hat on the ground. He turned and stalked out of the Hall with one last parting shot for the four young heroes.

"Guess they're right about you four… You're not ready."

Sparrow flinched and moved to stand next to Robin. After everything Speedy had just said and did, she needed reassurance that he was the only one who felt that way.

An incoming transmission chimed and Superman appeared on the computer screen. "Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus," Batman said. "This presents the perfect opportunity in-"

"Zatara to Justice League." A new transmission cut Batman off. "The Sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Aten to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman asked, wanting to gauge the severity of Cadmus.

"It's a small fire. Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait. All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out."

Sparrow, Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad walked over to see what they could do to help.

"Stay put," Batman told them.

"What? Why?" Robin asked, put out.

"This is a League mission," Aquaman said.

Sparrow ignored the conversation in favor of having a silent one with Batman, and Robin if he was paying attention. "Why haven't you investigated Cadmus yet if you've had suspicions about it for a while?"

"It wasn't of vital importance."

"Right… A lab that doesn't have connections to Gotham or possibly Ra's al Ghul and yet still makes you suspicious enough to admit so to the League isn't important.

"There hasn't been an opportunity to do so without alerting them."

"Then why not take advantage of this one?"

"The sun being blotted out takes priority. There will be other windows of opportunity."

Their whole conversation, Sparrow's sarcasm included, took place in the span of less than a minute and with only the subtlest of movements and facial clues. It was the Bat family's own language that someone, she didn't know who, had dubbed Batspeak.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready," Aquaman said.

"But for now, stay put," Batman said. His narrowed gaze told Sparrow, "Don't go running off to an unknown, potentially dangerous situation on your own."

They left leaving the four sidekicks standing alone in the library.

Kid Flash scoffed. "When we're ready? How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like- like sidekicks?"

"My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics. They've got a secret HQ in space!" Kid Flash threw his arms up in the air.

"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad wondered.

"I have a better question," Robin said. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

"Because we trust our mentors and wouldn't turn our backs on them and our friends," Sparrow suggested into the silence.

Robin glanced at her and could see Speedy's actions had hurt her. They both looked to him as an older brother and friend and having him walk away like he did…

"What is Project Cadmus?" Aqualad asked.

"Don't know," Robin said. "But I can find out."

"Already working on it," Sparrow said.

"Access denied," the computer said in response to Sparrow's search request.

"Wanna bet?" she challenged.

The others watched code scroll by on the screen. "Whoa, how are you doing this?" Kid Flash asked. He and Aqualad were in shock.

Robin on the other hand was proud of how much better and faster at hacking his sister had gotten. "It's the same system as the Batcave," he said. Of course, that helped too, but Batman was constantly doing upgrades.

"Access granted."

"Project Cadmus," Sparrow read. "A genetics lab here in D.C. That's all there is."

"But if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate," Robin said.

"Solve their case before they do," Aqualad said. "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey, they're all about justice," Robin said.

"The fire does provide an opportunity," Sparrow added, a gleam in her eyes.

"But they said stay put." Aqualad was clearly hesitant about disobeying orders.

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this." Robin, on the other hand, had made up his mind.

"Wait," Kid Flash said. "Are you going to Cadmus? Because if you're going, I'm going."

The three of them looked to Aqualad for his decision.

"Just like that we're a team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date," Robin said.

Sparrow grinned at the determined looks on everyone's faces. Batman had said not to go off alone and she wasn't.

Inside Cadmus, Robin started searching the computer files, Sparrow and Kid Flash took the physical ones. Aqualad stepped into the hall just as an elevator chimed. Confused, they joined him.

"There was something in the elevator," the Atlantean said.

"Elevator should be locked down," Kid Flash said.

Sparrow stared at the elevator. "This is wrong."

Robin pulled up his holocomputer and scanned the elevator. "This is a high speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two-story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad walked over and pulled open the doors.

The four heroes looked down the shaft to see it go farther than any of them could see.

"And that's why they need an express elevator," Robin said. He and Sparrow shot their grapples up to the top of the shaft and jumped down.

To their surprise, they ran out of rope at sublevel twenty-six but there were still several floors below them. They swung over to the ledge by the door and were joined by Kid Flash and Aqualad. Robin hacked the security and the doors so no alarms went off.

"How do they hide this?" Sparrow asked. "A place this big would draw a noticeable amount of electricity from the grid."

"Don't know," Robin answered. "We'll find out." He gave Aqualad the signal to open the doors. "Welcome to Project Cadmus."

"Kid, wait!" Aqualad called as Kid Flash took off running.

He didn't get very far before he skidded to a stop. A whole bunch of giant… things marched by. Sparrow though they looked like giant apes but with spikes, tusks and unnatural red eyes.

"No. Nothing going on here." Aqualad spoke for all of them. They watched the herd continue down the hall perpendicular to the one they were in.

"Let's find out what does things were," Robin said.

They opened a door and stopped to stare at what was inside. "Okay, I'm officially whelmed," Robin said.

"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world," Kid Flash said. He looked at the electric creatures in the pods that lined the walls. "The real Cadmus isn't on the gird. It generates its own power with these things. Must be what they're bred for."

"Even the name is a clue," Aqualad said. "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragon's teeth into the earth."

"And this Cadmus creates new life too. Let's find out why." Robin plugged into a computer. "They call them genomorphs."

"Look at their stats," Sparrow said. She pointed to the holoscreen. "Super strength, telepathy, razor claws…"

"These are living weapons!" her brother said, horrified.

"They're engineering an army, but for who?" Kid Flash said.

"And why?" Sparrow added.

"Wait, there's something else," Robin said. "Project Kr. Ugh the file's triple encrypted. I-"

"Don't move!" a voice called from their left. "Wait. Robin, Sparrow, Aqualad, Kid Flash?"

Sparrow looked over to see a man in blue armor and a gold helmet standing amongst more genomorphs. Only these were different from the one's they'd seen earlier. They were smaller and leaner.

"At least he got your name right," Robin told Kid Flash. He glanced over at his holocomputer to see how the download of Project Kr's file was coming.

"You're Guardian," Sparrow said. She remembered Batman's files on all known heroes.

"A hero," Aqualad added.

"I do my best," Guardian said.

"Then what are you doing here?" Kid Flash asked. He was unsure why a hero would be working for a group breeding an army.

"I'm chief of security. You're trespassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think the League's gonna approve of you breeding weapons?" Kid Flash wondered, incredulous."

Guardian was confused. "Weapons? What are you- What have I- Ugh. My head. Take them down hard. No mercy."

Sparrow noticed the horns on the genomorph on Guardian's shoulder glow red as the hero started to wonder what was really going on. It stopped when he ordered the genomorphs to attack.

Robin dropped a smoke bomb between the two groups and he and Sparrow grappled up and over. They had to get a way out for them. The two Bat trained just assumed the other two would get out under the cover of the smoke and not sit around to fight.

Robin hacked the elevator while Sparrow stood guard. Kid Flash and Aqualad soon joined them.

"Way to be a team player, Rob, Ro," Kid Flash said, annoyed.

"Weren't you right behind us?" Robin asked, genuinely confused.

They all entered the elevator and the doors shut just as the genomorphs arrived. The numbers increased to Kid Flash and Aqualad's confusion.

"We're going down?"

"Dude, out is up."

"Excuse me?" Robin said. He raised an eyebrow. "Project Kr is down, on sublevel 52."

"If we leave and don't investigate now, Cadmus would destroy or move everything important before we could bring the League back," Sparrow said.

"This is out of control," Aqualad said, rubbing the back of his head. "Perhaps- perhaps we should contact the League."

The elevator stopped before any of them could form a response. The doors opened to reveal a hall that looked like the inside of a stomach. Sparrow grimaced at the sight and imagery it invoked in her mind. Not a good idea to think about being swallowed whole by one of those genomorph things.

Sparrow and Robin darted forward to check for any enemies and to see their options. They crouched behind barrels where the other two joined them.

"Which way?" Aqualad asked, sounding resigned.

"Yeah," Robin said. "Bizarre-looking hallway one or bizarre-looking hallway two?"

Their decision was made for them by yet another different genomorph. This one had a humanoid figure and its long horns glowed red as it threw barrels at them telekinetically.

As Sparrow ran behind her brother she reflected on the genomorphs odd behavior. The barrels it had thrown either exploded above or behind them. Neither attack really came close to them. Plus, as they came to the end of the hall, Sparrow saw Project Kr on the door Kid Flash propped open.

Robin disabled the door so no one could open it from the outside. At least not without super strength or telekinesis.

"Uh, guys, you'll want to see this." Kid Flash pressed a button on the control panel. The pod in the center of the room lit up.

Sparrow stared in shock at the younger version of Superman asleep there. The three genomorphs sitting above him concerned her. If she was right and the one on Guardian's shoulder manipulated his mind, then there was no telling what those were telling or could tell the second Superman.

"Big K, little r, the atomic symbol for Krypton," Kid Flash said, revealing his chemistry knowledge. "Clone?"

"Robin, hack," Aqualad ordered.

Sparrow wasn't that bothered by being passed over. Robin was faster and better at hacking than she was. Though it would be nice if they realized she could hack too. Or maybe not. Don't want all cards on the table.

"Weapon designation Superboy," Robin read aloud. "A clone force-grown in… sixteen weeks?! From DNA acquired from Superman."

"Stolen more likely," Sparrow grumbled.

"No way the big guy knows about this," Kid Flash said.

Sparrow snorted. "We wouldn't be here if he did."

Robin continued through the file. "Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation twenty-four-seven."

"And these creatures?" Aqualad asked, pointing to the genomorphs on the screen.

"Genomorph gnomes, telepathic," Robin said. "Force feeding him an education."

Sparrow eyed them uneasily. If they woke up or their horns went red, they were in deep trouble.

"They're making a slave out of, well, Superman's son," Kid Flash said.

"Now we contact the League," Aqualad said.

They all tried their communicators but had no signal due to the depth. Sparrow would bet Batman would find a way to overcome this problem when, not if, he found out about this.

"We're in too deep. Literally," Kid Flash said.

"This is wrong," Kid Flash said.

"We can't leave him like this," Robin said, in complete agreement.

"Set him free, do it," Aqualad said.

Sparrow was going to say she didn't think it would be a good idea without a backup plan since she may have seen the horns change out of the corner of her eye. It may have been just a trick of the light so she didn't speak up.

That was a mistake since Superboy flew straight into Aqualad once the pod opened. He started punching the young Atlantean. Kid Flash and Robin tried to hold him back, but Superboy punched Kid Flash so hard he went flying through a glass case. Sparrow darted in to take his place with a knock out gas canister.

"I don't want to do this," she said. She activated it and she and Robin jumped out of range.

Aqualad kicked Superboy into the control panel. As the young clone stood up, Robin and Sparrow hit him with their taser lines.

Unfortunately, Superboy was unaffected and he grabbed both lines. He yanked the two birds toward him and he threw Robin on the ground and stepped on him.

Sparrow got thrown to the side. Her back slammed up against a deceptively hard wall and everything went black.


	4. Fireworks

**Just a quick note that I meant to talk about in the last chapter's author note. The timeline of the Harry Potter events will be a little different just because of outside events that I want to have happen at certain ages and around other events. So here's a basic outline of the timeline:**

 **Summer before Hogwarts - First part of Young Justice**

 **Hogwarts Year 1 - Philosopher's Stone and last half of season one**

 **Hogwarts Year 2 - Chamber of Secrets**

 **Hogwarts Year 3 - Prisoner of Azkaban**

 **Canon Divergence**

 **Hogwarts Year 4 - Unknown events**

 **Hogwarts Year 5 - Unknown events**

 **Hogwarts Year 6 - Events of Goblet of Fire**

 **Hogwarts Year 7 - Events of Order of Phoenix**

 **Following January - Start of events of Young Justice: Invasion (may not be entirely canon)**

 **The events of canon sixth and seventh years will only happen in pieces after 'graduation'. The Horcruxes still exist but will be handled differently. Oh and the dates of events will follow off of Young Justice so Harry Potter dates have been adjusted accordingly. (Took ages why did I do that to myself).**

* * *

"words" - regular speech

" _words_ " - telepathic speech

 _words -_ thoughts

* * *

" _Time runs short. You must awaken. You must awaken, now!_ "

Sparrow jerked awake. She looked around to see she, Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash were locked in pods like the one they found Superboy in speaking of the devil, he was standing in front of them, just staring.

"What? What do you want?" Kid Flash demanded. "Quit staring you're creeping me out."

"Uh, KF," Robin interrupted. "How about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look."

"We only sought to help you," Aqualad said. His tone was softer than Kid Flash's.

"Yeah, we free you and you turn on us," Kid Flash said. "How's that for gratitude?"

"Kid, I don't think he was in full control of his actions," Sparrow said. She lipped a lock pick out of her glove.

"Well what if I-" Superboy started to say. "What if I wasn't?"

His voice was hoarse as though he rarely used it. In fact, when Sparrow thought about it, he probably hadn't.

"He can talk?" Kid Flash said, surprised.

"Yes, _he_ can," Superboy snapped.

"Not like I said it."

"The genomorphs taught you, telepathically," Aqualad realized.

Sparrow was saddened when she learned that even though Superboy knew the names of things he'd never even seen the sun or the sky. He'd grown up in a cage with Cadmus making him into a weapon.

"Do you know who you are? What you are?" Aqualad asked.

"I am the Superboy. A genomorph. A clone made from the DNA of the Superman. Created to replace him should he perish. To destroy him should he turn from the Light."

Sparrow flinched at his words. Bad enough that he was talking about being made to kill Superman but his words were robotic. They'd clearly been drilled into his head. He wasn't given any opportunity to think for himself.

"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration," Aqualad said. He didn't let any of his shock enter his tone. "But like Superman you deserve a life of your own. Beyond that solar suit. Beyond your pod. Beyond Cadmus."

Superboy grew angry at that. "I live because of Cadmus. It is my home!"

"Your home is a test tube," Robin said. "We can show you the sun."

"Uh, pretty sure it's after midnight," Kid Flash corrected. "But we can show you the moon."

"We can introduce you to Superman," Sparrow said. That piqued Superboy's interest.

"No, they can't," a man said, coming in with Guardian and a woman in a lab coat. "They'll be otherwise occupied. Activate the cloning process." He was clearly the one in charge.

"Pass. The Batcave's crowded enough," Robin said.

"Plus, two of us would be a very bad idea," Sparrow said. She thought about how Jason and Tim were training to join them in the field when they were older. She flinched and wondered if Batman had made it back to the Hall and figured out where they went yet.

"And get the weapon back in its pod," Jackass Director ordered Guardian.

"Hey, how come he gets to call Supey an it?" Kid Flash asked.

"Help us," Aqualad said.

Superboy shrugged Guardian's hand off his shoulder. He stared the older hero down.

"Don't start thinking now." The Director walked by Superboy and the genomorph on his shoulder transferred to Superboy's. its horns glowed and Superboy stiffened. It confirmed Sparrow's theory that the little ones used telepathy to control people. "See, you're not a real boy. You're a weapon. And you belong to me… well, to Cadmus, same thing really. Now, get back to your pod!"

Superboy turned around and walked out. The door closed behind him. The director guy nodded to the scientist/lab tech. she hit a few keys and two four-pronged things come out in front of each of the young heroes.

Sparrow cried out when they connected with her chest. They drew blood and electrocuted her at the same time. She couldn't see it but the blood entered a chamber at the base of the pod.

Black spots danced in her vision. The probes shut down to her relief and she looked up to see Superboy holding the door he'd ripped out of its casing. She grinned as he tossed it aside and walked in. When Cadmus tried to stop him, he simply shoved them across the room.

"You here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash wondered.

Superboy's eyes narrowed. "Huh. I don't appear to have heat vision so I suppose helping is my only option."

Sparrow grinned at his response. She and Robin finally finished picking the locks of their cuffs. The pods opened and they jumped down to the ground.

"Ugh, finally," Robin said, rubbing his wrist. "Luckily Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."

"Seriously? That's what you're worried about?" Kid Flash wondered. "The whole League will have out heads after tonight."

Sparrow silently snorted. Batman may have their heads for taking so long to get free but that was minor compared to how he'd react for the whole event. They'd probably be benched until they were thirty. And Robin knew that. She pressed a button on the control panel to put away the probes.

"Free Aqualad," Robin told Superboy. "I'll get Kid Mouth."

"Don't you give me orders either," Superboy growled. He jumped over to Aqualad's pod anyway.

He broke Aqualad's restraints while Robin climbed to the top of Kid Flash's so he could pick his locks.

As the five of them ran out the director called after them, "You'll never get out of here. I'll have you back in pods before morning."

Sparrow bit back her comment about it technically already being morning. She and Robin suddenly remembered their blood in the tanks and turned around.

"That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all," Robin said. He threw explosive birdarangs at the four tanks.

Sparrow threw one of hers at the computer array but it was just a cover. She reached for her magic and, channeling her anger at Cadmus and the cloning process, pushed it at the computer array. She grinned proudly as it blew up.

"What is it with you and this whelmed thing?" Kid Flash asked Robin as they left.

"We're still fifty-two levels below ground," Aqualad said as they ran. "But if we can make the elevator-" He cut himself off as the hall was blocked by the gorilla-type genomorphs.

The sacs on the walls glowed red. Genomorphs pushed their way out much to Sparrow's disgust. They dodged one of the big ones slamming its fists down. Superboy started fighting them.

"Superboy!" Aqualad called from behind the genomorphs. "The goal is escape. Not to bury ourselves here."

"You wanna escape?" Superboy cried, furious. He threw one of the unconscious genomorphs into the other two.

They all entered the elevator shaft and made their way up. Superboy soon realized he couldn't fly as he and Aqualad suddenly started falling. Wide-eyed Robin threw a spike into the wall for Aqualad to grab onto. He and Sparrow breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't want to relive _that_ memory, especially not here.

"Superman can fly, why can't I fly?" Superboy whispered, confused.

"Don't know," Kid Flash said. "But it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound, though. Still cool." He helped Superboy onto the ledge.

A whirring noise made Robin and Sparrow look up. "Guys this will have to be our exit," Robin said. The elevator was starting to descend.

Aqualad and Superboy broke down the doors and they all leapt out. Just in time too as once Sparrow and Robin cleared the doorway, the elevator sped past. They saw genomorphs coming down the hall and took off down a side one.

"Go left! Left!" Superboy called suddenly. A short way down that hall he said, "Right." They ended up a dead end.

"Great directions, Supey," Kid Flash complained. "Are you trying to get us repodded?"

"No, I – I don't understand."

"Don't apologize. This is perfect," Robin said. He and Sparrow smirked at the sight of the vent.

"Ugh. At this rate we'll never get out," Kid Flash complained as they crawled along.

"Shh. Listen," Superboy said. To those without superhearing it was faint but they could tell they weren't alone in the vents.

Sparrow edged over to the closest vent cover. She slipped a camera between the slats and looked around. She grinned when she saw the area was clear and there was a nearby stairwell. She told Robin in a quick couple signs and he passed the message on while she unscrewed the vent. The five of them dropped to the floor and Robin instantly plugged in his hologlove. A couple seconds later, he looked up grinning.

"I hacked the motion sensors."

"Sweet," Kid Flash said.

"Still plenty of them between us and out," Sparrow reminded him.

"But I've finally got room to move." Kid Flash pulled down his goggles and took off up the stairs. When genomorphs approached him he just ran them over.

"More behind us," Robin told Superboy. He was keeping an eye on the motion sensors.

Superboy stopped and slammed his foot on the top stair. The staircase broke sending the genomorphs plummeting down.

"We're cut off from the street," Aqualad said when they saw the shut doors.

"Thanks, my head hadn't noticed." Kid Flash rubbed his head having crashed into the closed doors.

Aqualad and Superboy tried pulling the doors open. Robin and Sparrow tried hacking. Neither method was working fast enough and genomorphs were approaching.

"This way," Robin called. Eh kicked down a side door and they ran through. Unfortunately, there was a small army there waiting for them with Guardian.

Sparrow saw they were surrounded and pulled out birdarangs. She saw the little ones' horns glow and everything went black. Again.

She sat up with a groan. She was surprised to see the genomorphs standing down and not attacking. Only the more humanoid one had glowing horns and he was focused on Superboy.

"I… chose… freedom," Superboy said. It seemed he'd been having a conversation with that genomorph.

"Feels like... fog lifting," Guardian whispered holding his head. Sparrow noticed he no longer had a genomorph on his should like a parrot. "Go," he told the young heroes. "I'll deal with Desmond."

Sparrow briefly wondered who Desmond was when a familiar voice came from behind Guardian and the genomorphs.

"I think not," the director, Desmond, said. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." He drank a glowing pale blue liquid.

Soon he was groaning in pain. He fell to all fours and suddenly bulked up. His skin fell away to reveal new blue skin. When his transformation completed he roared and grinned predatorily at the heroes.

Guardian charged him and was swatted away into a wall. Superboy jumped in and exchanged punches with Desmond. Desmond jumped into the Kryptonian and took them both up through the ceiling.

"Okay, that's one way to bust through the ceiling," Robin said. He shot a grapple up as did Sparrow.

"Do you think Lab Coat planned that?" Kid Flash asked. He grabbed Robin's belt as he went up.

"I doubt he's planning anything anymore," Aqualad said.

When they were all standing by the hole, Desmond threw Superboy at them. He crashed into Aqualad and they went sliding and rolling across the room. Robin, Sparrow, and Kid Flash ran over and helped the two to their feet.

The five of them engaged Desmond in battle with surprisingly good teamwork considering they'd never all worked together before. At one point Superboy was pinned against a pillar. Aqualad and Sparrow went to get Desmond to let go of him. Desmond grabbed Aqualad's water construct and used it to toss the Atlantean away. The big brute managed to snag Sparrow's black cape and threw her across the room into a column.

Sparrow shook her head to clear her vision and bemoaned the fact that she could be tossed around so easily. It was getting annoying. She also wondered if situation like this was why Edna Mode was so against capes. For a moment, she considered a wardrobe change and ditching the cape but dismissed it just as quickly. She like her capes.

She watched Aqualad crash through a pillar. The ceiling above it started to collapse. Sparrow pulled up a structural scan of the room. "Robin!"

Robin ran over to her side. One look at her scan and he had the same idea. "KF, get over here!" Kid Flash ran over. One of the columns broke and showed up on Sparrow's scan as having structural damage. Robin quickly explained their plan.

Kid Flash took off to distract Desmond and use him to take out some of the columns. Robin showed the plan Superboy and Aqualad and directed them to structural columns to bring down. He ran off to place strategic bombs and Sparrow drew a giant X on the best location to take Desmond out. Aqualad covered the floor in water, Kid Flash slid into it drawing in Desmond and Superboy knocked the Director down. Once Kid Flash was clear, Aqualad electrified the water, shocking Desmond. Sparrow smirked, now that was poetic justice.

"Move!" Robin warned. His birdarangs were about to go off.

A large chuck of the ceiling dropped straight down onto Desmond. As the rest of the ceiling and the walls started to come down, Superboy covered Kid Flash and Aqualad dived on top of Robin and Sparrow. Those two were better able to take the impact of large chunks of concrete raining down.

Superboy pushed the concrete off them and Sparrow looked around. Everyone appeared to be in one piece, their uniforms were torn but there seem to be no visible injuries. Judging by the ache in her side and pounding headache, she probably had bruised or possibly cracked ribs and a concussion.

"We did it," Aqualad said, out of breath.

"Was there… ever any doubt?" Robin asked. He and Kid Flash were also breathing heavily. They high-fived but then clutched their sore ribs.

"Nope," Sparrow chirped, grinning.

"See, the moon," Kid Flash said, making Superboy turn away from the unconscious Desmond.

The Kryptonian clone stared in wonder. A shadow appeared on the full moon as Superman flew towards them.

Sparrow's grin dimmed and she whispered to Robin, "How screwed do you think we are?"

"Very," Robin said as the rest of the League showed up and landed in a circle around the destroyed building. He and Sparrow exchanged nervous glances. Batman was _not_ going to be happy.

Speaking of the Gotham Bat, he walked off Green Lantern Stewart's platform to stand next to Superman in front of the five who'd just destroyed the building, well part of it. Aquaman and Flash joined him.

Superboy walked up to Superman. He moved his torn suit so the red S-Shield was visible. The elder Kryptonian started in shock which turned to anger to the younger's disappointment and anger.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman asked.

"HE doesn't like being called an it," Kid Flash said out of the corner of his mouth.

Robin and Sparrow knew Batman was talking about the suit and shield not Superboy, but everyone who only saw the emotionless Bat didn't.

"I'm Superman's clone," Superboy snapped.

The entire League was shocked by this announcement and showed it. Batman's reaction was only visible to his protégées and they could see he'd suspected as soon as he saw Superboy.

"Start talking," Batman said.

All of them, except really Superboy, took it in turns to explain everything that had happened since the Leaguers had answered Zatara's call. Desmond was taken away by the Green Lanterns, the Hawks and Captain Atom.

One group of Leaguers including the mentors to the four who broke into Cadmus spoke with Guardian. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter spoke separately amongst themselves possibly about getting Superman to talk to Superboy if the hand Martian Manhunter put on Superman's shoulder before he went over to his clone was anything to go by. Unfortunately, Superman didn't do a decent job of trying to speak to his clone and chose to leave without offering any help.

At least Sparrow didn't think he did a decent job given how angry Superboy appeared. She was glad it wasn't day because the moonlight was making her head pound so sunlight would have been impossible to tolerate. She knew Batman and Robin could tell but no one else seemed to notice. Of course, she was also trying to hide it. She didn't want anyone thinking she wasn't cut out for the hero gig.

"Cadmus will be investigated," Batman said. He walked over with Flash and Aquaman. "All fifty-two levels. But let's make one thing clear-"

"You should have called," Flash interjected. He got a slight glare from Batman.

"We tried but we were too far underground for a signal to reach," Sparrow said. She saw Batman twitch slightly and knew he was planning on upgrading their tech so it wouldn't happen again.

"End results aside we are not happy." Batman said. "You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again."

The four of them shifted guiltily. Sparrow knew she was the only one at fault for the first, but the last… She knew if anyone else had been in the building when they brought it down they could have been killed. And there was no telling the damage that would have been unleashed if Desmond had gotten out. However, she, and the others, also knew how much good they had done.

"I am sorry," Aqualad said. "But we will."

"Aqualad, stand down."

"Apologies my king, but no." Aqualad bowed his head but his refusal still caused Aquaman to raise an eyebrow. "We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do. Together, on our own we forged something powerful. Important."

"If this is about your treatment at the Hall," Flash said. "The four of you…"

"The five of us," Kid Flash said, cutting off his uncle's explanation. "And it's not."

"Batman we're ready to use what you taught us," Robin said. He spoke for his sister as well. "Or why teach us at all."

"Why let them tell us what to do?" Superboy asked. "It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way."

Flash and Aquaman exchanged glances and looked to Batman for his opinion. He looked at his kids and their friends and started going over the possibilities. He saw through the façade Robin and Sparrow were putting up claiming they were fine besides a couple bruises and scrapes.

"Go home," he said. "I'll decide what to do with all of you in a few days. Kid Flash would it be a problem for Superboy to stay with you until then?"

"Nope. Come on Supey let's go."

Robin and Sparrow followed Batman to the nearest Zeta tube. Robin went through first and the bright light caused Sparrow to hiss in pain and screw her eyes up. Batman rested a hand on her shoulder. She hurried through the transporter wanting it over with quickly and stumbled as she exited. Robin caught her and she hid her face in his chest to try to block out the light.

Batman came up behind them and swept Sparrow under his cape so Robin could go change. He walked with her to the changing rooms so she stayed in the dark for longer. Sparrow slipped out from under the protection of the cape and into the dim room.

Outside in the cave, Batman sat heavily on a chair and pushed his cowl back. Movement at the entrance caught his eye and he turned to see Alfred entering with his two youngest. Well Jason was the same age as Anastasia but his birthday was a couple weeks after hers to his annoyance.

"Are they back? Are they okay?" Jason and Tim asked in unison.

"Yes they're here, but Anya has a concussion and they both have sore ribs."

"They refused to go to bed until they knew," Alfred explained. He swept off to get first aid supplies.

Bruce didn't expect anything else. His four kids were very close despite Anastasia only being his ward and not being adopted. Not that he hadn't tried. He watched Tim run over to Dick and the eight-year-old latch himself on to his eldest mindful of his ribs. Jason handed Anastasia a pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes and hugged her as tightly as she could handle.

Bruce walked over. "Alright you two. Head on up to bed. You can find out what happened in the morning." They pouted but did as they were told. Before they left Dick snagged a hug from Jason and Tim hugged Anastasia.

Bruce watched Alfred busy himself wrapping the ribs of both his injured kids. He knew they'd want to keep working as team with the others and were stubborn enough to do it again if they felt it was necessary. He just wasn't sure how to go about it but if he didn't find a way, they would. Better if he knew what they were doing and could impose some ground rules rather than the alternative. He didn't particularly like the idea but what else could he do. He blinked and realized he was in the same situation as he was three years ago when he allowed Anastasia to join him in the field before she decided to go out on her own. He had an idea of what he might want to do but he had a few days to figure out if and how it would work.


End file.
